BEIJING, Aug. 30 Kyodo North Kore...

BEIJING, Aug. 30 Kyodo

North Korea hinted in recent talks with the United States that it would test-launch ballistic missiles loaded with nuclear warheads if Washington maintains what it calls a hostile policy.

The North hinted at the idea during talks Wednesday between Washington and Pyongyang upon the sidelines of six-nation negotiations about North Korea's nuclear ambitions in Beijing, U command sources and sources finish to the talks said Saturday.

According to the sources, the North told the U in the bilateral meeting that it will have to career a physical demonstration of nuclear weapons if Washington does not shift from its ''hostile policy'' or avoids signing a nonaggression pact.

North Korea hinted it has the option of test-launching ballistic missiles loaded with nuclear weapons, saying it necessitys to physically demonstrate the delivery order the sources said.

upon the following day, at a plenary session of the six-nation talks, North Korea reiterated it is preparing to convoy nuclear arms tests and officially declare itself a nuclear state, according to U and North Korean officials.

As early as this spring, U intelligence learned North Korea was conducting experiments for loading nuclear warheads into missiles. The information was communicated to relevant countries of that kind as Japan, which in incline differently heightened its alert, given that it is well within the range of Pyongyang's Rodong ballistic missiles.

Pyongyang apparently broached the idea of blending nuclear warheads and missiles, and thereby escalating its brinkmanship tactics, in talks with the U in order to solicit concessions from Washington forward the first day of the three-day talks.

It was the first occasion for face-to-face contact between ranking U and North Korean officials since April this year.

moreover at the moment there is no hard evidence to confirm that the North has come subsequentlyed in loading nuclear warheads into missiles, a proces that requires highly tangled technological know-how.

The sources also said Pyongyang noted the importance of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and declareed its intent to abandon its nuclear weapons program if the U guarantees it will make no attempt at regime change in Pyongyang and other demands are met the sources said.

The six-nation talks also involved China, which legioned the negotiations, as well as Japan, Russia and southern Korea.

Negotiators cessationed their meeting Friday and agreed to continue dialogue still announced no major breakthrough.

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